From the Guidelines
If you have food lodged in your esophagus, seek immediate medical attention as urgent interventional endoscopy is recommended to remove the food bolus and take oesophageal biopsies, especially if you're experiencing severe symptoms or if the obstruction persists for more than 2 hours. According to the most recent guidelines 1, there is no evidence that conservative treatments such as fizzy drinks, baclofen, salbutamol, or benzodiazepines are helpful in the management of this condition.
Some key points to consider:
- Do not attempt to force the food down with more solid food, as this can cause further complications.
- Never induce vomiting, as this could cause choking or esophageal damage.
- People with known esophageal problems should chew food thoroughly, eat slowly, and avoid alcohol while eating to prevent this situation.
- The use of endoscopy to remove the obstruction is a recommended approach, and it may be performed urgently, especially if there are signs of complete esophageal obstruction or sharp-pointed objects 1.
- Gently pushing the bolus into the stomach is recommended for the treatment of esophageal food bolus impaction, and if this procedure is not successful, retrieval should be considered 1.
It's essential to prioritize medical attention in these situations, as food bolus obstruction can be a symptom of underlying conditions such as eosinophilic oesophagitis (EoE), which is found in up to 46% of patients presenting with food bolus obstruction 1.
From the Research
Symptoms and Causes
- Food getting stuck in the throat can be a symptom of esophageal food impaction, also known as "steakhouse syndrome" 2
- This condition can be caused by consuming food too quickly, resulting in the food remaining stuck in the esophagus
- Other causes of dysphagia (difficulty swallowing) include gastroesophageal reflux disease, functional esophageal disorders, eosinophilic esophagitis, and esophageal motility disorders 3
Treatment Options
- Endoscopic removal is the treatment of choice for impacted food in the esophagus 4
- In cases where endoscopic removal is difficult or unsafe, treatment with Coca-Cola and Creon for 2-3 days may be effective 4
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is recommended for the initial evaluation of esophageal dysphagia, with barium esophagography as an adjunct 3
- Timing of EGD after presentation in patients with esophageal food impaction does not affect complication rates, but delayed intervention is associated with a higher rate of hospitalization 5
Evaluation and Management
- Patients with symptoms of oropharyngeal dysphagia should undergo videofluoroscopy of swallowing to evaluate oropharyngeal motor performance and laryngeal protection 6
- Evaluation of the cause of unexplained neurogenic dysphagia should include consultation by a neurologist, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain, and other diagnostic tests 6
- Treatment of neurogenic dysphagia involves treatment of the underlying neurologic disorder, swallowing therapy, and gastrostomy if necessary 6